Today's News

Vancouver, BC, June 17, 2015--(T-Net)--Intel announced today in a blog post on its website that it has acquired Vancouver-based Recon Instruments, makers of the critically acclaimed Recon Jet™ smart eyewear for sports and high-intensity environments.

Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

Recon was formerly an Intel Capital portfolio company, and Intel stated that "we've gotten to know and admire their products and people over the last couple years. This acquisition gives Intel a talented, experienced wearable computing team that will help us expand the market for head mounted display products and technologies".

Intel reported that Recon will continue selling, enhancing and marketing their products under the Recon brand name, and that the team will also partner with Intel's New Devices Group to develop smart device platforms for a broader set of customers and market segments.

The company will also reportedly stayin Vancouver, and continue growing the company here in BC (the company currently has offices in dowtown Vancouver in the Yaletown area on Homer Street).

Recon has raised over $17 million in funding in 3 rounds from a number of well known investors including Intel Capital, local VC firm Vanedge Capital, and Motorola Solutions Venture Capital.

Intel reported that "the growth of wearable technology is creating a new playing field for innovation, and the company has made tremendous strides in developing products and technologies to capture this next wave of computing".

In the last six months, Intel: disclosed plans for the Intel Curie module1, a tiny hardware product based on the company's first purpose-built system-on-chip (SoC) for wearable devices; unveiled a multiyear R&D collaboration with Luxottica Group S.p.A and their Oakley brand to fuse premium, luxury and sports eyewear with smart technology; and announced a partnership with TAG Heuer and Google to launch a Swiss smartwatch powered by Intel® technology and Android Wear.

Dan Eisenhardt, Recon's co-founder and CEO also wrote a related blog post regarding the acquisition by Intel on Recon's website and said the following about the acquisition by Intel:

"As part of Intel, we'll have the resources to continue the mission we began with the creation of Recon in 2008, but with a level of efficacy and speed that's beyond the reach of a pioneer in a new market. We'll stay right here in Vancouver, and we'll retain our talent, our brand, and our entrepreneurial spirit.

Thanks to Intel, however, we'll gain two very important strengths:

We'll have the resources to successfully grow. This growth will extend to our developer relations program, which will help us establish and sustain a strong app ecosystem.

In addition, we'll have the opportunity to draw from Intel's extensive technology portfolio. As the world's most successful semiconductor company, Intel has valuable technical resources and expertise to bring to the table.

This acquisition has placed Recon in a uniquely advantageous position. Going forward, we'll continue leading the smart eyewear category for sports, and we'll be able to bring our technology and innovation to completely new markets and use cases where activity-specific information, delivered instantly, can change the game. The team and I couldn't be more enthusiastic."

Founded in 2008, Recon Instruments is the world leader in smart eyewear technology for sports and high-intensity environments. Recon's award-winning technology is backed by an extensive patent portfolio and integrates high-contrast displays with state-of-the-art computing platforms and sensor suites.

Recon's smart eyewear technology features an Android-based operating system with an open SDK, empowering developers to create apps for an endless variety of sports and activities. Recon continues to define the smart eyewear category and is dedicated to advancing the performance, participation, and ethos of sport.see less

NOTE: The Intel blog post was written by Josh Walden who is is senior vice president and general manager of Intel's New Technology Group